New Life Community Church, Atwater, CA

Made for More “Finding Your Fit” 1st Corinthians 12-4-11

After this past year of separation, we are now entering a time of re-connecting. The church is re- opening, programs are re-starting, relationships that were put on pause are renewing and new connections are being made. Getting going again, we desire a return to normal, but we were made for even more. The church is more than a building we return to, it is each of us doing the part we are fit for. 

New Series: Made for More “Body Building” 1st Corinthians 12-13

After this past year of separation, we are now entering a time of re-connecting. The church is re-opening, programs are re-starting, relationships that were put on pause are renewing and new connections are being made. Getting going again, we desire a return to normal, but we were made for even more.   As always, the challenge is our human relationships are the differences that often divide us. The Bible offers us hope and a very relevant plan as we re-discover what it means to be the church. 

“Risky Faith: One Person at a Time!” Acts First Part

The book of Acts is a book of the history of the church. This book is of all different people, with different traditions and religions. But, they have one goal and that is to advance the Kingdom of God. We are citizens of Heaven and our job here is to love one person at a time. We are to live out the story God has called us to.

“Follow the Science: Jesus is Risen!” John 20, 1 Corinthians 15

The first witnesses of the resurrection were struggling with things that they didn’t fully understand, that frankly didn’t make sense. What we find in the Bible’s resurrection accounts is there seeking to piece together the evidence, if you will, to “follow the science” to come to an amazing conclusion and then turn the world upside down. This pattern remains today: If what we believe is true (and it is), then we are invited to live bold lives in the midst of any circumstance. 

“Drawing near the Cross” “Turning over tables, breaking down Barriers” Matthew 21:7-13

With Easter just around the corner, we turn to the story of Jesus to prepare us for what is ahead as we approach the cross and the empty tomb. On Palm Sunday Jesus road triumphantly into Jerusalem, but he also turned over the tables at the temple. What is it in each that prepares us for both the crucifixion and His resurrection? 

“Drawing near the Cross” “When We don’t know Better” Matthew 16:13-23

With Easter just around the corner, we turn to the story of Jesus to prepare us for what is ahead as we approach the cross and the empty tomb. Peter struggled with the thought of a messiah who would suffer, even as we often struggle with the idea of “where is our Savior?” when we suffer.

“Serving the least in the name of Jesus” Matthew 25:31-46

“25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit

“the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

“Why?” John 3:14-17

Some of our deepest struggles revolve around the question “why?”. Why do things go awry? Why do we have to suffer? Why am I even here? The answers we come to either lead us to hope or despair. But if we find hope, we will also find love and purpose. 

“We Love because He first Loved Us” #4 “Where the Rubber meets the Road”

We love because He first loved us! (1 John 4:19) This truth has such far reaching and practical effects in our lives. His love truly changes how we live. The Apostle Paul concludes his letter to the Philippians noting how God’s love for us is the foundation of finding peace in our relationships and peace in the midst of the storms of life. Yearning for peace? Paul invites us to put His love “into practice.” 

“We Love because He first Loved Us” #3 “Saved by Love, Freed for Love”

We often seek what is just and right, to live in a just world, doing as best we can what is right. But Paul in this 3rd chapter unveils the key to living not by justice but freed by and for love.